mites?!?

[Jessicap]

okay, not sure what they are but they are small white almost clear looking bugs that I am finding climing on the food dish, tortoise, and walls of the enclosure. Have only seen 3 so far, but as small as they are I am sure there are lots more and multiplying....How can I get rid of them... YUK!

 

[Mao Senpai]

I had those too... tried once with just cleaning the entire enclosure out and replacing all the substrate and they came right back so.. I took more drastic measures. I took the tortoise out and put them in a bin for a day, and dumped the substrate again and left the enclosure outside for two days since it's freezing out there and figuring the cold will kill them all. Then I rinsed with hot water to clean it and they've been gone since. I had a tough time with them and didn't feel like using any chemicals.

 

[Jessicap]

I had those too... tried once with just cleaning the entire enclosure out and replacing all the substrate and they came right back so.. I took more drastic measures. I took the tortoise out and put them in a bin for a day, and dumped the substrate again and left the enclosure outside for two days since it's freezing out there and figuring the cold will kill them all. Then I rinsed with hot water to clean it and they've been gone since. I had a tough time with them and didn't feel like using any chemicals.

no idea what caused them? I have only had my tort for a little over a month. How often to you change all the substrate? From what I had read it appeared several did not change all ever, just little here and there.

 

[starpython]

I'm having the same issue. Just two weeks ago I changed the substrate in my redfoots enclosure. I'm using soil mixed with coco coir and some spag moss - trying to keep live plants going and up the humidity. Since it's so cold outside I was thinking that whatever these little bugs are started taking up camp in the nice hot/humid environment of my torts home. Was also thinking that there may have been eggs of these bugs in the substrate when purchased. They don't seem to bother my little guy, but I just noticed them about two days ago and they seem to be growing in number rapidly. I think I'm going to dump all the substrate tonight, clean, air and rebuild.
I'm hoping these little bugs are not harmful to the torts.

 

[yagyujubei]

I have the same thing. I think they came with the topsoil. I'm ignoring them for now.

 

[starpython]

I read a few older post about bugs and as long as they're not mites they shouldn't be harmful to the torts. Whatever is crawling around my guys home does not appear to be mites just annoying.
And your right - these ugly bugs probably came with the soil. It's super cold here so I'm leaving a new batch outside to freeze out whatever might be living in it before I change the substrate. Hope that works.

 

[Mao Senpai]

I had those too... tried once with just cleaning the entire enclosure out and replacing all the substrate and they came right back so.. I took more drastic measures. I took the tortoise out and put them in a bin for a day, and dumped the substrate again and left the enclosure outside for two days since it's freezing out there and figuring the cold will kill them all. Then I rinsed with hot water to clean it and they've been gone since. I had a tough time with them and didn't feel like using any chemicals.

no idea what caused them? I have only had my tort for a little over a month. How often to you change all the substrate? From what I had read it appeared several did not change all ever, just little here and there.

Not too sure really... it happened during a time when I changed a bunch of things. I am thinking it's possible the repti bark thing I was using that I got at petco. I kept it too moist and the mites came out like crazy. Or the clay pot saucers I got since it was during the same time. Either way, they are gone now and gone for good!

 

[Orpexo]

I got spider mites once, Tetranychus urticae I beleive. It's not doing anything to the tortoise, it feeds from plants. I brought clover and dandelion from outside and that's how it came to the habitat.

These things like warm and dry condition, with alive plants in the habitat they may just invade you. In my case they expanded very fast on the clover which was near my basking bulb. That was just before hibernation, I through away all the clover, and sterelised my substrate (garden dirt) with a microwave.

Some tiny flies also came with the plants. I had cleaned the plants with water when i picked them up, including roots leaving no dirt on it, and still a few insects came along

 

[Tracy Gould]

I have had both the white bugs and little flies, I have read woodlice are great for getting rid of these as thye eat the larva and eggs so if u add a few of these to your table they will breed and get ride of them. It will mean u will have woodlice in the table but they are good at cleaning the Sub of poo rotting food and nasty bugs

 

[Orpexo]

Thx for the idea, if I get insects next year I ll try that

 

[Jessicap]

I read a few older post about bugs and as long as they're not mites they shouldn't be harmful to the torts. Whatever is crawling around my guys home does not appear to be mites just annoying.
And your right - these ugly bugs probably came with the soil. It's super cold here so I'm leaving a new batch outside to freeze out whatever might be living in it before I change the substrate. Hope that works.

My cyprus mulch and soil for my plants was froze solid when I bought it So I can't figure out where they came from. How do I know if they are mites or just some other small bug? I did notice them jumping/flying. Otherwise I have only seen about 3 so far, but I am sure they are multiplying... lol.

 

[starpython]

I also read about the woodlice and even pill bugs and worms which are supposed to be good for an enclosure for a number of reasons. Where you're supposed to find these in order to put them in the enclosure, I have no idea. Thoughts anyone??

Mites are usually red or black. Do a quick google image search and you'll be able to see what they look like on reptiles. Doesn't seem to happen alot with tortoises from what I understand. I used to work with snakes and they're exceptionally prone to mites and it's a nightmare trying to get rid of them.

 

[Tracy Gould]

Pill bugs are Woodlice its a England/american thing here in England they are Woodlice lol. to get them look under a large slate or rock or even a fallen log they live in moist dark areas, if u add them u will need to make sure the Sub is kept damp the need moisture to breath through there gills. I put mine under a large slate in the table i have not seen them for a while so i am not sure if they died or if Shelby ate them so i may have to go hunting outside again lol

 

[Jessicap]

I also read about the woodlice and even pill bugs and worms which are supposed to be good for an enclosure for a number of reasons. Where you're supposed to find these in order to put them in the enclosure, I have no idea. Thoughts anyone??

Mites are usually red or black. Do a quick google image search and you'll be able to see what they look like on reptiles. Doesn't seem to happen alot with tortoises from what I understand. I used to work with snakes and they're exceptionally prone to mites and it's a nightmare trying to get rid of them.

These are white and almost clear looking. Since I don't see too many at this time I am not going to worry too much. Hopefully they are the beneficial kind.. lol

 

[zzzdanz]

I had some really tiny white bugs in the incubator last yr...lost 30 eggs to them..I don't know where they came from or what they're called.

 

[Kristina]

They are most likely springtails and are completely harmless. They help break down any waste in the enclosure and are beneficial to a bioactive substrate. They thrive in damp conditions, not dry, and do survive freezing temperatures outdoors.

 

[franeich]

I have a big pot that I fill up with water and boil then dump the boiling water in the enclosure. I do this about every month. I take the tortoise out first of coarse. I started doing this when I had a infestation of little bugs and have not had a problem since.